A seatbelt may have saved the life of a 30 year old Smithville man or at least prevented him from suffering serious injuries after being involved in a three car crash on Highway 70 near Alexandria in January.
For choosing to buckle up, Brandyn Wright has received the “Saved by the Belt” Award from the Governor’s Highway Safety Office and the Tennessee Highway Patrol.
THP Sergeant Mark Dial and Trooper Dewaine Jennings presented the award to Wright on Saturday morning.
The award states “The Tennessee Governor’s Highway Safety Office commends Brandyn Wright for your lifesaving choice and for the strong example you provide to others on the importance of wearing safety belts. You are living proof that safety belts save lives.”
On January 6th, Wright was traveling east on Highway 70 toward Smithville in a 2000 Ford Focus when another vehicle traveling west tried to pass a car on a double yellow line. The vehicle that pulled out to pass struck Wright’s car nearly head-on and then hit the car it was trying to pass. Wright’s car spun around and came to rest facing north on the shoulder of the roadway. The car trying to pass broke into two pieces from the crash and the two occupants were ejected because they were not wearing their seatbelts.
THP officials say Wright’s decision to wear his seatbelt not only saved his life but also kept him from sustaining more serious injuries in what proved to be a very serious accident.
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